The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-16
NUMBER SO.
LYNCHED BY NEGROES.
One of Their Own Race Hanged for Muir
dering Woman.
New Work Herald

New York Herald.
DAYTON, OHIO, June l4.-The village
of jamestown, a few miles east of here,
was the scene Of the lynching Of Peter
Betters, recently released from the peni-
tentiary. He had committed an assault
upon Martha Thomas, a widow, and
then had murdered her. Betters has
since his release from prison been max
ing this village his home with colored
woman named Thomas, whose husband
died a few months ago. Betters came
home drunk on Saturday night, and Mrs.
Thomas, who was sleeping in the next
room with two of her grandchildren,
was awakened 10y the presence of the
fiend in her room. He had effected an
| entrance through the floor. The villain
| instantly seized Mrs. Thomas. but the
instinct of self-preservation gave her
almost supernatural strength, and she
fought the brute like "A tiger, driving
him away, but not until lac had terribly
beaten her.
In the meantime the little grandchil-
dren fled To the house of the nearest
neighbors AMI aroused the inmates, who
ran over 10 the tenement. where they
found Mrs. Thomas in a wretched
plight and dying. She lay in an mcon-
scous condition, her arm broken, skull
crushed and the contents OF n feather
bed, which had been torn apart, thrown
over her. The room showed what a
fierce struggle had taken place and that
tho haH f..t.,at Il. af.lx F,.r
her life.
THE EXCITEMENT.
Mrs. Thomas told her story, and search
was begun for the wretch, who was
finally captured in the fair grounds. The
woman fully identified him. In the
meantime there was great excitement
among the colored people, who were in
censed against Bctters, and there were
threats of vengeance against him. Groups
of colored people gathered at points in
the town, and mt night there were indi-
cations of a coming storm.
About fifteen minutes past twelve "A.
IN. large crowd surrounded the lookup.
The crowd consisted mostly of colored
folks, though a considerable number of
white people were seen. The outer door
of the lookup was forced open, and the
next minute the door of the cell i'm which
Betters was confined was battered down
and the occupant was dragged out by
the infuriated mob.
He yelled, Murder! Save mer' and
screamed most piteously to be rescued.
Yells of Hang him. Shoot him!' re-
sounded and several pistol shots were
heard. Betters was forced along the
street, fairly dragged toward the Fair
Grounds, shouting all the while, "Mur-
der. Save mel" which appeared only the
more to eNasperate the mob.
CRIES To THE LAST.
The crowds reached the Fair Grounds
on run, and il was only very brief
time until Betters was dangling from "a
tree. The cowardly wretch screamed and
whined up To the last moment, il is said.
"Now disperse and go home,' ex-
claimed a big fellow, who appeared TO be
the leader I'VE have done good work;
we have nothing TO be sorry for. Now
keep quiet and all will be well. Colored
people are az true to virtue and justice
as steel.
This morning about 3 o'clock when
Mr. Horace ID. Buckles, of Jamestown,
passed the Fair Grounds ON his way To
the depot to take the train for Dayton,
the lifeless carcass of Bitters was dang
ling from the tree. His toes were onlya
couple of feet from the ground.